


A Ghostly Manner

by Dreemurr00



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4
Genre: Dinner with ghosts, F/M, Tarot 16: The Tower, ghost couple, pets named after persona 3 cast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25765861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreemurr00/pseuds/Dreemurr00
Summary: Youske and Teddie get a little lost and stumble across a woman in the woods who takes them to her home for dinner, but can couple of persona users really go twenty four hours without dealing with the gods?The answer is no, they can't.
Relationships: Aragaki Shinjiro/Arisato Minako
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	A Ghostly Manner

It’s a cold and gloomy night, the moon shining down upon dirt roads shrouded in mist.

Youske, a 16 odd year old boy walks along one such road with his… coworker? Teddie.

“Damn it, I told you we shouldn’t have followed that butterfly.”

“Aww! Come on, Youske Senpai! What could go worse!?”

“An awful lot! We fight demons on a regular basis, While this is child’s play, it’s child’s play with a shotgun, and I’m still scared!”

“Ooo, Look! A cat!”

Teddie runs after a beautiful calico cat who dashes into the woods as soon as it’s spotted.

“Wait! Idiot!”

Youske dashes after the bear, catching up as Teddie reaches a clearing far off the beaten path.

The boy and Teddie see the cat make a sharp turn, then watch as it begins rubbing it’s head up against a woman’s legs.

The woman was nothing short of beautiful, with shoulder length red-brown hair, half hidden by a sun hat. She also bears a dress and a handbag, but something looks… off…

Youske begins to speak “I’m so sorry miss, but we’ve lost our way. Do you know where the hell we are?”

The woman looks at him, her amber eyes shining as though backlit, like a TV, but creepier. “Oh, Visitors! We haven’t had those in a while!” Her voice holds so much joy, her face moves into an awkward smile, like she hadn’t done so in a long time. “Please, this way. I’m glad Ken-Kun could lead you to us!”

“wait us?” Youske asks as the woman leads the way through the woods, glowing an odd sky blue in spite of her dress being white, and the darkness all around.

The beautiful woman leads through the woods, seeming to float past a million things that would give a well-dressed woman like her trouble.

Soon the group reach a pair of shimmering metal gates that lead into a fine estate, complete with a fancy manner and rose maze.

“Yo, this isn’t going to be some beauty and the beast crap, right?!”

“Come on, Senpai! She’s too hot to be lying!”

The calico cat lets out a loud meow as it jumps from its caretaker’s shoulder and runs into the estate.

The woman giggles “He must be excited to see papa. Well,” the woman says as she steps through the gates “Are you two coming?”

“Yes Ma’am!” Teddie shouts as he runs through the pearly gates.

“Damn it, Teddie…” Youske mumbles “Yeah, I guess I can’t exactly ditch my friend here.”

The woman leads the young man into the estate, following Teddie and the cat, Ken.

(The group enter the manner that rests at the heart of the estate to see muddy footprints leading upstairs, to the kitchen, and back outside from both locals.)

“Thank you, miss, for letting us come here, but-“ Youske starts, only to be interrupted by Teddie.

“So! What’s on your agenda for the night?”

The woman chuckles again, removing her sun hat and hanging it on a nearby coat rack. “Well, me and my dearest were planning to have dinner, then let the night play out in the moment. I wouldn’t suppose either of you are hungry?”

“Famished!” says Teddie, draping his hand across his forehead dramatically, and for the first time that night, Youske could agree with something that Teddie had said.

“Well then you’ll be glad to know that my Sugar is an excellent cook. He hates to admit it, but he really loves housework of almost all kinds.”

Youske smiles, happy to know that it won’t be anything like the girls cooking at home.

“I’m sorry to be a bother, miss, but, why do you and your husband live out here in the woods alone?” Youske asks.

The woman smiles and grabs one of Youske’s hands with both of hers, feeling like cold water wrapped around his. “You’ll know soon enough.”

The woman tells Youske and Teddie to get comfortable in the foyer while she goes and gets changed into something a little more suitable for what seems to be an evening in.

“Teddie, do you really think that nothing is going on here?”

“Nope, why?”

“Think about it, we get lost after you chase a damn cat in the middle of the woods, and then some pretty lady just so happens to find us, and she brings us to her really nice mansion, with a husband who loves housework, and a rose garden. A rose garden! Teddie!”

“Why should we be worried? If she was a shadow, or planning on killing us, wouldn’t she have already made a move?”

Youske sighs “I guess you’re right… but if she comes down those stairs with a gun or some other weapon in her hands, you owe me a thousand hours of work in the afterlife.”

The woman comes downstairs about five minutes later wearing a pair of pink and white ice-cream pajamas to see Teddie laying on the floor in front of a running fireplace with Ken napping on his chest, while Youske sits ramrod straight on the sofa, nothing but his legs touching the soft cushions.

“Hey” the woman says, placing her pale and freezing hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump and look up at her, fear in his eyes “You can relax. No one’s going to hurt you here.”

Youske nods and apologizes but stays straight backed and wary.

Suddenly, the clopping of horses hooves outside causes the woman to smile and Ken to stand from Teddie’s tummy.

“What’s going on? Why’d you leave, little guy?” Teddie whines, utter heartbreak in his voice.

Ken meows and trots over to the door.

Youske stands and panics, baking up against the far wall of the room while the woman chuckles and prepares to greet her beloved.

Suddenly the door swings open and heavy boots hit hard wood floor as a six-odd foot tall man wearing a maroon trench coat and black jeans enters the room. His skin is somehow paler than his loves, and his hair is a much darker shade of brown than hers. He is also emanating the same feint sky blue glow that his wife is.

“Hey, Minnie.” The man says, his voice hoarse but his actions soft and gentle as he embraces his wife with his rain splattered coat still on.

“Welcome home, Sugar.” The woman says, her face lighting up as she hugs her husband back.

One moment later and the hug dissipates, the man’s gaze falling on Youske, who is backed into a corner, literally, he is trying his best to hide.  
The only thing that Youske can think is how little this man looks like any kind of “Sugar”, much closer to a bear or escaped killer.

The man straightens up, hanging his clearly heavy coat on the same rack his wife’s hat lays on before walking to Youske and offering him his hand. “Shinjiro Aragaki, and it’s clear you’ve met my wife, Minako Aragaki.”

Youske is physically vibrating as he takes Shinji’s hand and tries his best to give it a shake. Shinjiro’s hands are like ice too, just as his loves are.

“Dinner should be done soon. You two care to wash up at all before we feed you and tell you where to go to get out of here?”

“Um, sure… Thank you, mister Aragaki.” Youske says, giving a small bow to the man before asking where the bathroom is.

Once he has instructions, Youske rushes to the bathroom, and he begins to check himself all over for needle marks to make sure he wasn’t drugged or something. Then, he takes a leak, washes his hands, and heads back to the group for dinner.

Teddie is sitting on the sofa, chatting with Minako as she fiddles with something in her hands. Not wanting to barge in on the chat, Youske just stands behind the sofa and listens in.

“So that’s why Ken is named that!”

“Our horses are also named for old friends… Aki, Mitsu, and Koro are their names.”

“Woah! You know lots of people!”

“ _Knew_ , I’m afraid. Sugar and I haven’t gotten the chance to see any of them in a long time…”

Just as Minako trails off, Shinjiro opens the door to the dining room and pokes his head out. His hair is tied in a bun, covered in a bandanna to keep it out of his face and the food.

“Hey, dinner’s ready.”

Minako stands with grace, and Teddie stands with much less.  
The trio in the living room soon become the quartet in the dining room.

Shinjiro brings out a shimmering pot full of Dashi, which is a type of stock broth soup.

They all sit and pass out bowls with fresh bread.

“Now, to business.” Shinjiro declares. “I’m sure at least one of you two has noticed something generally off about Minnie and I.”

“What!? You guys aren’t normal!?” Teddie gawks.

“Ignore him, please continue.”

“Minnie and I aren’t here anymore… We’ve passed, so to speak.”

“I was right! You are ghosts!”

Minako speaks up again “Please, do not shout. It attracts outsiders.”

The table falls silent at the mention of these, “Outsiders”

“W-What do you mean by that?”

“Well, every night-“ As Minako begins explaining, the clock strikes 12 o’clock, Midnight.  
The world suddenly changes, the air turns green and the world feels heavy on everyone’s shoulders. “The midnight hour happens. An extra stretch of time between twelve and twelve o’ one. During this time, people can summon their personas, and shadows rush towards anyone who experiences the time…”

Suddenly, loud slamming is heard against the front door to the manner.

“Minnie, Take the guests up to the bedrooms. I’ll hold these bastards back.”

“Wait! We have personas too! We can help!”

“Fine, Minnie, take the bear up to the bedrooms. Youske, here.”

Shinji reaches into his pocket and pulls out a sliver pistol with the acronym S.E.E.S. carved onto it.

“Wait, I don’t know how to use a gun!”

“Shut up and follow me.”

Shinjiro stands and leads the way to the front doors, stopping to make sure that Youske is ready.

Shinji slams the doors open and points his evoker at the side of his head. Youske gasps as he watches Shinji pull the trigger, not flinching in the slightest.

A large black figure mounted on a black stallion materializes behind Shinjiro, before charging forward, skewering several small shadows on it’s lance and trampling many others under the horse’s hooves.

“What are you waiting for, dumb-ass! Summon your Persona!”

“Oh, right!” Youske says, tossing the gun back to Shinji before pulling two hunting knives from his jacket as a blue card floats down from the sky. “Come Jiraiya!”

Youske’s persona forms in front of him, a bipedal frog-ninja man with a golden smile on his chest. The persona blasts a couple of shadows with wind.

“Okay, Weird, but that works I guess.”

As Yosuke and Shinji fend off the shadows at the door, Minako leads Teddie upstairs to the bedrooms.

“Why are we running? I have a persona too!”

“It’s just incase the boys get overpowered and need an ambush, trust me, they should be fine.”

But the boys were not fine. They had fended off all but the larger beasts.

“Minnie! Get back down here! It’s a full moon!” Shinji shouts, praying that his love can hear him.

As he shouts, Minako and Teddie reach a landing and catch their breath, Minako looking out a window and seeing the beautifully lime colored full moon.

“Oh no… Teddie, can you slide down handrails?”

Back to the boys and they’re struggling. Shinji releases a string of profanities that would make a sailor blush as he swings the coat rack at some shadows, all the while Youske keeps breaking his cards, sending Jiraiya upon any who try to get in.

But they couldn’t do it alone.  
The shadows slowly scratch up the boys, causing them to fall.

“Go! Kintoki-Douji!”  
“Now! Orpheus!”

Suddenly, balls of fire fly from behind the boys towards the shadows, and the wounds all over their bodies heal over.

“Oh thank god! You two came back!”  
“Bout damn time! We’ve got a tarot to break!”

A massive shadow looms at the back of the small army trying to raid the small keep.

“Does anyone have any support abilities, or are we in the dark for this?”

“Minions are like their bosses, so try fire and wind as much as possible. Teddie, buff and support. I’ll be a meat shield.”

“Sugar, you don’t have to do that!”

“I want to! Castor want’s an excuse to go wild again and break every slime covered bone those monsters have!”

“…”  
“…”

“I understand dearest… Be safe…”

Shinji smiles, his posture drops farther, his eyes glaze over and he grips the coat rack with one hand, a smile creeping across his face.

“I don’t think that’s healthy. Minako, is he okay?”

“Just give him his time. He’ll be back when he’s ready to be healed or everything is dead.”

“… that’s comforting…”

Suddenly, Shinji is off, splattering shadows with a single swing, his persona and himself in perfect sync as they tear through to the boss shadow.

Shinji returns when only the big shadow is left, covered in black gunk and slashes along his body.

“Tonight is the tower… You can see the number on the bosses mask…”

“Thank you, dearie.” Minako says, pointing her Evoker back at her head and pulling the trigger. Her Orpheus does not show up again, instead, a persona that everyone recognizes as Jack Frost springs to life, curing over all of Shinji’s wounds.

Shinji sighs and straightens his back slightly as his persona fades.  
“Alright, who’s ready to fight again.”

“Wait, we’re just going to completely gloss over the fact that she can summon multiple Personas?”

“Why wouldn’t we? Yu Senpai can do the same thing.”

“Fine. Let’s smash this shadow. Who’s is it?”

“What do you mean Who’s?”  
“Yeah, it’s not like a shadow is tied to one specific person.”

“Never mind. Let’s just kick some shadowy ass!”

The quartet moves forward, Teddie letting his claws out, Youske flipping his knives around, Shinjiro gripping his coat stand, and Minako fiddling with her Evoker.

The shadow takes the form of a large stone building with chunks missing from all sides, all the while golden eyes peer out from small cracks in the standing stones. A large mask with the letters “XVI” on it rests on the center column of the building.

“Alright team, here’s the strategy. Teddie can focus on healing. Youske, you can help with the offence, but if things get harry, help with buffing. Shinji will focus on head on attacks after debuffing the boss, all the while I can play the every-man. I’ll heal when it’s needed, but otherwise, I’ll be on magic attack with Youske.”

“I’m down”  
“Count me in!”  
“Hell yeah.”

They rush at the big shadow, Shinji removing it’s defense with a solid Rakunda.  
Teddie strikes with a Bufudyne, Youske starts with a Matarukaja, and Minako blasts the building with an Agidyne.  
The building strikes back, slamming into Teddie and Shinji before charging up for it’s next attack.  
Shinji lets loose and nails his head, summoning Castor to wreak havoc.  
Teddie uses Mediarahan to patch up his and Shinjiro’s wounds.  
Youske lets loose a Garudyne and Minako lands another Agidyne.  
The shadow lets loose a roar as it slams the ground, downing Youske and hitting everyone hard before starting to flail.  
Shinji lets out a bark-like laugh before commanding Castor, dealing heavy bash damage to the boss.  
Teddie uses Mediarahan once more, but he starts to regret the first as he’s starting to run low on SP.  
Youske uses Jaraiya to cast a solid Sukukaja to help out with evasion.  
Minako finishes the round with a bang. Literally. She blasts her head, causing a loud bang sound as an imposing warrior appears in front of her. The warrior lets loose twelve heavy slashes to the tower, causing it to crumble and collapse, catching the pair of small shadows that where behind it to splatter as the sky turns from the forest and lime green mix, back to it’s natural navy blue and shimmering white beauty.

“Alright then… So… Back to dinner?”  
“I’m still hungry!”

“Ugh, God! You two are way more whiney than I’d like to hang around. If I tell you how the hell to get out of here, will you two just go?”

“Fine by me.”  
“But… My soup…”

“Just walk out of the gates and keep going straight. You’ll hit a road that’ll take you straight to town, only a ten minute walk if you don’t get sidetracked.”

“Alright. Thanks a bunch you two. Teddie, let’s get going!”

Youske grabs Teddie by the scruff of his neck and pulls him away from the two ghosts.

“Wait!” Teddie screams “Call me Mina-Chan!”

“Call my wife Mina-Chan again, and I break your knees.”

“Never mind! Have a nice afterlife together!”

Youske scruffs Teddie and drags him away and out of the Manner’s estate, Minako and Shinjiro waving goodbye.

“Do you think they would have worked it out that we were ghosts if you hadn’t told them?”

“I doubt it. Now come on, stews going to be cold when we get back”

“NO! The soup!”

The Investigation duo turn the corner in just enough time to watch the ghostly couple rush back to their food, clear joy on all of their faces.


End file.
